Drama, 115 Minutes, 2011
This is one of those dramatic comedies where the name of the movie is based upon the least interesting thread of the plot. In this case the King family has owned a huge, never-developed, pristine chunk of Kauai worth hundreds of millions for over 150 years. The trust on the land will be running out in a few years and the family has decided to cash in.
Comedy, 104 Minutes, 2011
What do you when Alan Alda [IMDB] screws you (and I mean screws you bad)? Well you put together a completely inept crew to break into one of the most secure buildings in the world and steal from him. You know, people who mentioned that they might know how to do things or other people who you barely know and wouldn’t trust with your neighbor’s cat. Those people. Collect them into a room and tell them all about how you plan to steal 20 million dollars.
Horror, 105 Minutes, 2012
Bad movie! No! Not on the new rug!
(This movie just shit all over my new rug.)
The script – which announces proudly that it’s based on true events (it’s not) – really likes to repeat itself. I think the screenwriter thought it sounded smart (it doesn’t) and that the actors could pull off sounding smart (they can’t… oh dear Lord in heaven they can’t).
Sci-fi/Comedy, 110 Minutes, 2012
The original “Men in Black” [IMDB] has always been one of my favorite movies. It was irreverent, bombastic and populated with insanely likable characters. (It was also based on a comic book – so if you liked it too maybe you should bolster the flagging comic book industry and buy some?) The effects were bright, innovative and wonderfully cartoonish in all the right ways. Most of all it was just plain fun.
“The Adjustment Bureau” on IMDB
Sci-fi, 106 Minutes, 2011
First, this was very good. The acting, the pacing, the script – all very good. Matt Damon [IMDB] is as likable as ever, Emily Blunt [IMDB] is insanely hot and who doesn’t like to see John Slattery [IMDB] wandering around? Do not let the following prevent you from seeing this film!
I’m going to spoil quite a bit of this movie. Starting… now.
Biography/Drama, 103 Minutes, 2010:
I honestly know very little about the Kenyan revolution (or Kenya in general actually). Like most “true stories” it’s very difficult to parse what’s being presented as actual truth. Some things are just so terrible that you hope fervently that they just can’t be true. The message of the movie concerns the unbreakable nature of the human spirit but the lesson that you’ll probably come away with, just as I did, is this:
“Revenge of the Bridesmaids” on IMDB
Comedy, 95 Minutes, 2010
This is a made-for-TV movie. I didn’t realize that at the beginning and probably wouldn’t have considered it if I’d known but my wife likes rom-coms (no matter how stupid) and I thought she’d like it. It looked a little off (I assume this was shot on video). It really started to dawn on me when about 30 minutes into the movie I hadn’t heard a single “shit” or “ass”.
Drama, 110 Minutes, 2009
I don’t often review dramas (or really good movies for that matter). Dramas are tiring and emotionally draining and lack the explosions and bad special effects that have come to be recognized as signs of “Dad’s movies” in my home. However my wife feels differently. She loves those weepy, drippy tear-jerkers! So, with high expectations and she with a box of tissues we sat down to watch this acclaimed drama.
Action, 98 Minutes, 2012
This is a pretty serviceable action flick. The hook is that a no-name banana republic is attempting to outsource its rebellion against a tyrant general by selling it as a real-life adventure for billionaires (get it? Soldiers of Fortune? Get it?!) To keep their spoiled bags of money safe in an active war zone they hire real-life disgraced commandos Christian Slater [IMDB] and Freddy Rodriguez [IMDB]. Of course things go well-and-truly pear-shaped almost immediately.
